Worcester lawyers entangled in probe of Chelsea director's finances

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray is not the only Central Massachusetts figure caught up in the attorney general's investigation of possible criminal violations of the state's campaign finance law involving disgraced former Chelsea Housing Authority Director Michael McLaughlin.

In addition to Mr. Murray and others, campaign finance officials have referred two former treasurers of Mr. Murray's political committee, Worcester lawyers Carolyn Leary and Brendan Moran, to Attorney General Martha Coakley's office for investigation.

Brad Puffer, a spokesman for Ms. Coakley, confirmed that the AG's office is investigating.

Ms. Leary's and Mr. Moran's names were included in a Sept. 19 letter from Michael J. Sullivan, director of the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, to Ms. Coakley.

The letter was made public earlier this week after charges were brought against Mr. McLaughlin for underreporting his $360,000 salary to state and federal authorities.

“The evidence also indicates that McLaughlin, Lt. Governor Timothy P. Murray and the Citizens Committee to Elect Tim Murray did not comply with (section) 7 of the campaign finance law, which prohibits the solicitation or receipt of contributions not raised in accordance with the campaign finance law,” Mr. Sullivan wrote.

Ms. Leary and Mr. Moran did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Scott Ferson, a spokesman for Mr. Murray's committee, also did not return a call for comment.

Some observers of Massachusetts politics believe Mr. Murray's future political prospects could be jeopardized if the investigation does not end favorably.

While Mr. Murray last week announced he would not run for governor despite raising money for a campaign in recent months, he has said he might run for public office again someday.

“I think when you're guilty of an ethical transgression, it's going to be a difficult road back to the political world,” said Jeffrey M. Berry, a professor of political science at Tufts University. “The allegation is that he knowingly went around the campaign finance law.

“That's not a bookkeeping error,” Mr. Berry continued. “It's not a trivial charge. Rather, there was a pattern of donations coming into coffers and not accounting for them.”

Mrs. Leary, 45, is the wife of James B. Leary, vice chancellor of community relations at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Mr. Leary is a former chief of staff to Mr. Murray and a former Worcester state representative.

Mr. Moran, 29, is a lawyer with the Worcester office of the Youth Advocacy Project, which represents and advocates for juveniles involved in delinquency and other legal proceedings.

Both are past treasurers of Mr. Murray's political committee.

According to the campaign finance office letter to the attorney general, all those suspected of the violations, except Mr. McLaughlin, requested hearings with the agency before the matter was referred to the attorney general.

Hearings were held for each of the individuals and for Mr. Murray's committee. Spokesmen for the campaign finance agency and the attorney general declined to provide the dates of the hearings or explanation of what occurred during the sessions.

The other subjects of the attorney general's investigation are David Martin, the current treasurer of the Murray committee, and James McNichols, a former employee of the Chelsea Housing Authority and associate of Mr. McLaughlin.

Contact Shaun Sutner by e-mail at ssutner@telegram.com or on Twitter at @ssutner.